In a major push towards interdisciplinary and socially impactful research, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has selected ten institutions across India for establishing Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoEs), aimed at addressing complex societal challenges through integrated research spanning science, technology, humanities and social sciences.

The ambitious initiative, announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology, seeks to create pioneering research hubs capable of developing holistic and sustainable solutions in areas ranging from climate history and archaeology to artificial intelligence, rural livelihoods, labour markets and digital empowerment.

The selected institutions include premier institutes such as the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad, National Institute of Advanced Studies, National Institute of Technology Agartala and Indian Institute of Management Jammu.

Among the notable projects selected are IIT Gandhinagar’s “Centre for Human-Climate Interactions and Environmental Histories,” which focuses on archaeology and traditional knowledge systems, and IIT Madras’ “SAṂYoga” initiative that aims to combine Sanskrit, artificial intelligence, music and yoga research. NIT Agartala will work on AI-assisted digital preservation and global promotion of North-East Indian folklore, particularly from Manipur and Tripura.

The programme also highlights the growing role of AI in society and the economy. The Institute for Human Development has been selected for a multidisciplinary study on the impact of generative AI on India’s labour market and service sectors. Meanwhile, IIT Kanpur will establish a centre focused on language performance research under the health and psychology theme.

Rural sustainability and economic resilience have also received significant attention. IIT Dharwad will lead a Centre of Excellence for Rural Livelihoods and Development, while IIM Jammu’s proposed centre will focus on digital empowerment and livelihood generation for artisans. Another selected institution, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, will work on helping MSMEs transition towards modern and sustainable technologies through academia-industry collaboration.

According to ANRF, the programme received an overwhelming response with 945 proposals submitted from institutions across the country, underlining the initiative’s national importance and academic relevance. The selected centres collectively involve researchers and co-principal investigators from 20 collaborating institutions, including IITs, NITs, central and state universities, colleges, private universities and recognised R&D organisations.

The Convergence Research Centres of Excellence programme draws inspiration from the National Education Policy 2020, which advocates multidisciplinary education and research integration. It also aligns with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, aimed at transforming India into a developed, innovation-driven and self-reliant nation by the centenary year of Independence.

Experts believe the initiative could become a crucial platform for integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and big data analytics with social sciences and humanities to tackle regional and national challenges more effectively while contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals.